logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2019
1h 26m

Disasterology (DISASTERS) with Samantha ...

ALIE WARD
About this episode
Floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados, explosions, hurricanes, oil spills, bombings, BAD THINGS: Why do they happen? What can we do to prepare? What is a disaster vs. a catastrophe? Who makes it their life's work to go help? Professional Disasterologist and Emergency Management expert Dr. Samantha Montano sits down to talk about disaster movies, the addict ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
Cnidariology (CORAL) Encore with Shayle Matsuda
Will changing your sunscreen save coral reefs? What even IS a coral? Where do they grow and what do they eat and why are they so pretty? Is it reefs or reeves? The wonderful and charming coral biologist and cnidariologist Shayle Matsuda takes time out of his busy schedule during ... Show More
1h 21m
Jun 10
Paternology (FATHERHOOD) with Darby Saxbe
DADS. What makes a good one? What if you had a bad one? And how can fatherhood turn the tides on toxic masculinity? Also: diapers. The brilliant USC research psychologist, fatherhood expert, and thus Paternologist Dr. Darby Saxbe covers everything from prehistoric family systems ... Show More
1h 21m
Jun 3
Awe Psychology (WONDER) with Dacher Keltner
Awe?! You can study this? You can, and it turns out it’s really important for our mental health. Dr. Dacher Keltner, the legendary UC Berkeley psychology professor, author, and founding director of the Greater Good Science Center, lent us some time to chat about his research into ... Show More
39m 15s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2023
The natural disaster economist
There seems to be headlines about floods, wildfires, or hurricanes every week. Scientists say this might be the new normal — that climate change is making natural disasters more and more common.Tatyana Deryugina is a leading expert on the economics of natural disasters — how we r ... Show More
23m 41s
Jun 2025
172: Earthquakes: From Human Sacrifice to Nuclear Disaster… Is the Big One Coming??
Hi friends, happy Wednesday! Do you guys remember earthquake drills? I grew up in California… So earthquake drills were just part of my life growing up.It seemed like we did earthquake drills nonstop. And despite that, I can never seem to remember what to do during an earthquake. ... Show More
56m 15s
Dec 2024
There Will Be Flood
Windell Curole spent decades working to protect his community in southern Louisiana from the destructive flooding caused by hurricanes. His local office in South Lafourche partnered with the federal government's Army Corps of Engineers to build a massive ring of earthen mounds – ... Show More
31m 17s
Jul 2025
Rising Floods, Cuts To FEMA And Future Chaos
ProPublica Editor-at-Large Abrahm Lustgarten says the deadly flooding in Central Texas — which has killed over 130 people — underscores the dangers of a more volatile climate. Despite clear scientific evidence, the federal government has made cuts to research and forecasting, eve ... Show More
44m 47s
Aug 2025
It's not your imagination. Hurricanes are getting more severe.
In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, leaving more than 1300 people dead and becoming the most expensive hurricane in history with overall economic losses estimated at $125 billion. It was also a harbinger of what would happen to hurricanes in the years ... Show More
6m 55s
Sep 2025
Why Do Some Hurricane Survivors Thrive After Disaster?
You’ve probably heard of PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. But what about its counterpart, post-traumatic growth?The term was coined in the 90s to describe the positive psychological growth that researchers documented in people who had been through traumatic or highly stressf ... Show More
13m 18s
Mar 2025
After Disasters: Making Homes Safe Again
Earlier this year we collectively watched in horror as Los Angeles burned. In all, at least 29 people were killed, 200,000 were forced to evacuate, and more than 18,000 homes and structures were destroyed. Many, like our own Peter Tilden were forced from their homes. While thankf ... Show More
37m 22s
Sep 2023
Surviving earthquakes
Earthquakes strike suddenly, leaving death and destruction in their wake. But around the world, people are trying to do what they can to make them less deadly.We hear from Haiti, where a seismometer developed for hobbyists is now being used by citizens to build the country’s firs ... Show More
23m 45s
Jan 2025
What Can We Do About Wildfires? With Convective Capital’s Bill Clerico
This week on No Priors, Sarah and Elad sit down with Bill Clerico, founder of Convective Capital, an early stage venture fund focused on technology-driven solutions for wildfire mitigation and climate resilience. The wildfires in Los Angeles have caused unprecedented property dam ... Show More
37m 59s